Figure 3: Ecosystem responses to extreme warming in the Santa Barbara Channel.
From: Extreme warming challenges sentinel status of kelp forests as indicators of climate change
Temporal trends in the biomass of the major groups of kelp forest primary producers and consumers prior to (2001–2013, blue) and during (2014–2015, red) the anomalous warm period. (a) giant kelp, (b) understory algae, (c) sessile suspension feeding invertebrates, (d) sea urchins, (e) sea stars and (f) reef fish. Biomass values are annual means measured in summer averaged over nine sites and are in units of decalcified dry mass, except reef fish which are in units of dry mass. Regression lines are provided for cases where year contributed to a significant model (Table 1).
